by Shachar Erez
Northern Thailand
Bangkok is a huge, noisy bustling city full of commerce, culture and tourism. The hostel where I stayed was tucked away from a popular shopping road. Walking by people I noticed that people give a smile when I say ‘hi’ and then go back to their tired, somber mood. Even a street market I went to in Chiang Mai a few days later gave me a feeling of sadness for the merchants who sat and waited in hopes of someone stopping to buy something from them. The Thai gentleman who sat next to me on the plane to Thailand said that most people, like himself are in the city to make money and would much rather be home with their families. I spoke with a man who grew up in Bangkok as well. He told me that it is hard to live there now because most of the people are renters from other places who don’t care as much about making the city into a good place to live.
Underneath the city slums, in the dark and promising earth rests the hope for a better life. Fair Trade certification is a vehicle for a revival of satisfying village life where people can be with their loved ones while they provide for their needs. Some people enjoy city life. Fair Trade allows people to decide what kind of life they want to live.
In most of the cities there were few cross walks, but I noticed that people found a break in the traffic for long enough to cross to the 6 inch double yellow zone in the middle of the road to wait for a chance to finish the trip. I was shocked to see a mother with her 2 year old daughter waiting in the middle, with cars speeding by them just inches away. I thought, ‘if she’s willing to, I will too.’ I’m still alive to write this.
The haze from the cheap gasoline and diesel and factories was so thick I could see it falling and being swept up in the wake of passing cars. The sweat from my body captured the smog and left a film on my skin that made me want to shower multiple times per day.
I inquired about the next train to the northern city of Chiang Mai, from where I would take a truck ride to a seed saving eco-village called Pun Pun (’1000 Varieties’) where I would stay and help in the gardens. The Australian who was running the Bangkok hostel, was still bitter having told me a story about his last work crew methodically stealing from him, but he told me that there’s a group of Kiwis leaving on bus for Chiang Mai that afternoon. I spoke with them and decided to tag along. I enjoyed their adolescent antics and had a fairly comfortable bus ride, arriving at the guest house they arranged early in the morning.
Chiang Mai is smaller and more calm, but almost as hazy as the capitol city Bangkok. I noticed more people walking and a lot of people riding their small motorcycles through the chaotic streets. There were many red taxi trucks and three wheeled Tuk Tuks and I had no problem finding a cheap ride to Warrot Road where I was to take a truck heading to Pun Pun. When I got off the Tuk Tuk my friends were there looking for the truck as well and we had a warm reunion. We put our bags on the truck and grabbed a bite to eat.
All along I saw many people wearing yellow shirts. At first I thought, ‘Oh how nice that people are so happy that they’re wearing yellow.’ Later I learned that they are doing it to show appreciation for the king, who is very much admired for his benevolence and initiative, starting many projects to improve the quality of life in Thailand and funding them with his own money.
There were other people on the truck heading for Pun Pun. We stopped at a market where the driver loaded up with vegetables, mushrooms and fish. These were our companions and every so often the driver pulled over and delivered the goods to someone waiting by the side of the road.
As we were nearing the eco-village, we saw a raised wooden platform with a thatched roof. We were told that when they are harvesting, villagers from around the area sleep on these platforms so that they don’t need to travel to the fields every morning.
We arrived at our destination. The driver climbed to the top of the truck to hand us our bags. We each gave him 50 baht, which is about $1.50, half the cost of a night at the guest house in Chiang Mai if you split a room three ways. We walked across a rice field and through a tamarind orchard that belonged to a neighbor.
The first thing I noticed was that the air was clean and fresh, with the fragrant smell of wood burning in the kitchen stove. Looking up, I could follow the birds flying from tree to tree. I could hear their song in the quiet air.
Peggy, who co-founded Pun Pun with her husband Jo greeted us and gave us a tour. We saw the various earthen buildings, each with its own creative style. I was happy to leave my bags in a room that had curved walls because curves are much more pleasing to my eyes than straight lines.
We met the people who live here and I found that they were all very gentle and seemed to be at peace. I can understand why. Working in a garden is an excellent meditation. Whenever I am on a farm, I find that my mind is far more clear, which is probably because there are less distractions to interrupt the flow of thoughts, emotions and creativity.
We settled in after a conversation with Peggy and Jo about economic development efforts that have been undertaken in Thailand. I learned that a former Thai leader gave villages heaps of money without following through and teaching how to run a successful business. When people get a sudden fortune, they often don’t know how to use it so that they stay out of poverty. Micro lending is different because borrowers have a business plan and receive support. There is an organization called Kiva.org that enables ordinary people to invest in small businesses of their choosing rather than putting their money into a savings account.
I helped pick veggies for dinner and we sat down on the floor to the first of many delicious meals. It seems that every great meal has a chili pepper hidden somewhere in it and when I’m not diligent, I eat fire. At first I wondered if the chilies are why people here are so warm and hard working. Later I learned that a more realistic reason is that they have a saying that goes something like ‘give power, get more power’ which means that hard work is invigorating and makes you feel good.
While pulling weeds from a coriander bed, Jo, a farmer from the Northeast of Thailand and I were talking about his motivations. For years he has been teaching people how to build their homes out of mud bricks. The houses last longer than regular homes, cost far less to make, have no toxic materials and are far more beautiful. Jo could get paid to build them, but he’d rather teach people how because it is so simple and this way people can be self sufficient. Jo said that people cannot truly be free and live in dignity if they are not self sufficient for food, clothing, shelter and healthcare. When we rely on others for these things, we are at the whim of people whose prime motivation is to get as much money from us as they can. For the lust of money, businesses are allowed to take control of the world seed, food and water supply, while putting toxins into the water, earth and air. This is why heirloom seed saving and conservation are so important in our profit hungry age.
There is a Cree Tribe saying that
‘Only after the last tree has been cut down, the last fish has been caught and the last river poisoned – only then will you learn that money cannot be eaten.’
I recall a story in a recent National Geographic about a family in Northern China where the parents had to leave their baby girl with their parents to go work in the city for 10 months. When they returned, their baby did not know who they were and was uncomfortable when they picked her up. It was heartbreaking. I wondered what can be done.
Fair Trade (FT) is an important way to help alleviate poverty. FT is a vehicle to reduce world poverty and ensure that communities stay healthy and sustainable. Knowing that while we are still in a market driven economy people must make money, I suggested that people can do both fair trade and local sustainability. Peggy told me that the FT cooperative that Engage is involved with in Thailand makes sure that FT farmers grow a diversity of crops for local consumption to avoid malnutrition. I researched and learned that fair trade certification requires diverse food growth, reduction of chemical agricultural inputs and protection of native habitats as well as worker ownership.
Life is precious and sacred. We all know this, but in our hectic days we often forget to savor and delight in the beauty of each moment. Above sustainability and community, my favorite constant feature at Pun Pun is how often laughter fills the air and echoes in my belly. There is a lightness and playfulness in everything we do here. I’m reminded of Jo teaching us that Pun Pun wants to show how living in this way should be easier than in the city, and if it is hard and exhausting, we are doing something wrong and should think of a new way to do it. At Pun Pun our work and every other thing we do truly is playful, creative and our hearts are full of joy.
